​My name is Emma Whitaker, and I am an Agricultural Communication and International Ag student at Iowa State University. Through my recent industry experience, I had the opportunity to learn firsthand about harvest and feed mill operations at Dearwester Grain Services, a company that plays a key role in supporting farmers across western Illinois.
This spring, I had the opportunity to spend two full days learning about Dearwester’s feed sales operation. Going in, I understood the basics of grain and feed movement, but seeing how everything looks on a deeper and personal level gave me a much clearer picture of how important feed sales are to both the company and producers they serve.
On the first day, I spent time in Dearwester Grain’s Industry, IL, location. I experienced how they filled feed orders, and handled pick-ups and deliveries. One of the biggest things I noticed was how relationship-driven feed sales really are. It is not just about selling a product; it is about understanding the customer's operation, livestock needs, and long-term goals. The operation spends a lot of time communicating with producers, answering questions, and helping them make decisions that impact animal health and profitability. I learned that trust and consistency matter just as much as price or availability.
On the second day, I tagged along on deliveries and was able to meet a few customers of Dearwester Grain. An area that stood out to me was the amount of knowledge required to be successful in feed sales. Visiting farms and listening in on calls with customers helped me understand that it is not just sales skills, but also nutrition knowledge, market awareness, and problem-solving. The team has to understand feed ingredients, ration changes, seasonal demand shifts, and market price movements. They are constantly balancing cost, quality, and availability to provide the best options for customers.
Overall, this experience has helped me see feed sales as a fast-moving, relationship-focused part of the grain industry. It combines agriculture knowledge, business strategy, and customer service all in one role. Spending time inside the operation gave me a new appreciation for the people who make sure producers have the feed they need every single day. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the Dearwest Grain team, and to keep building my understanding of how feed and grain operations support agriculture at every level.

​            Hello, my name is Nicole Kerber. I am currently a junior at Illinois State University majoring in agribusiness. I am originally from Manlius, Illinois where I grew up around 4-H and FFA. I was blessed to receive the Illinois Grain and Feed Scholarship this year. This scholarship is very resourceful for college students not only for financial help but also networking through the Industry Immersion Tour.
            I spent my fall workdays at River Valley Cooperative on the Illinois side. My first day, I shadowed Ryan Kerber the Grain Operations Manager where he took me to various grain elevators to check the status of grain being hauled out. All elevators were working to core out their bins and hoops. This process started in Princeville, IL where they took in 3.5 million bushels of corn. The market then dictates the amount that is able to be hauled out. Soybeans typically are hauled prior to corn at about 3-4 million bushels but due to tariffs only about half a million have been moved. Ryan communicates between the grain merchandisers and operators making sure the correct number of bushels are being moved at the appropriate time to settle contracts. During the drive to different locations, I got to understand how harvest was down about 20% due to disease pressure in corn along with coming off a record year.
            The second day, I shadowed Michelle Cooney a Grain Originator for River Valley at the Manlius, IL office. During harvest, she keeps a close eye on the market and contacts farmers when the market rallies. When scale tickets come in from terminals and River Valley locations, she checks which trucks are running and moisture content on the grain. If a ticket is incorrect, it is her job to go in to correct it and apply it to appropriate contracts. After harvest, she runs various reports about revenue for farmers for their upcoming tax appointments. Prospect work is also very important to her job title. She contacts local farmers that have showed interest with the company and works to show them why their services are superior. Her goal is to gain more customers, bushels, and contracts. Another important part of her job is getting the ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) papers signed by her customers. The ISCC is an independent, globally applicable certification system that supports sustainable, traceable and deforestation free supply chains.
            Overall, these workdays have significantly boosted my knowledge on the grain world, and I feel extremely blessed to have had the opportunity. I’d like to thank River Valley Cooperation for having me and giving me new insights within the agricultural system. Also, Illinois Grain and Feed Association for supplying me networking prospects. 

​My first job shadow experience took place at the downtown Chicago office of CIH (Commodity & Ingredient Hedging, LLC). During my time at CIH, I had the opportunity to learn from the members of the Hog Team. I sat in on multiple calls with the company’s clients, where I learned what commodity hedging is, how it works, and why it is important. On one call, an Account Executive advised a client on what to do with their current positions and what potential positions they might consider taking in the future. The Account Executive explained how weather conditions in Brazil and Argentina could affect the market, and in turn, the client’s business. What I found most intriguing was that the client was based in Canada, yet they had to worry about weather and planting conditions in South America. Before this call, I had no idea how significantly global events could influence the U.S. grain market.
I also participated in the weekly market briefing, where company analysts reviewed their research on various aspects of the hedging market and discussed how they planned to position their clients for success. Commodity hedging was a completely new industry for me, and although I found it challenging, I also found it incredibly interesting. After this experience, I am definitely interested in exploring this field further in the future.